CEBU, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo insisted twice during a chance interview on Thursday, April 21, that she is not keen on responding to allegations thrown about by her political rivals in the homestretch of the campaign, as well as the call for her to withdraw from the presidential race.

At a campaign stop in Bogo City in vote-rich Cebu province, Robredo was asked about Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s “challenge” for the Vice President and her camp to deny that they had been pressuring candidates who’ve lagged behind in opinion polls to withdraw from the race. 

Moreno, Senator Ping Lacson, and former defense chief Norberto Gonzales, in a joint Easter Sunday press conference, had insisted they would not step down from the race. But it was Moreno who went the extra mile and said that Robredo should withdraw from the race, never mind that Robredo was way ahead of all of them in pre-election voter preference surveys, though still a distant second to survey front runner Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Asked about Moreno’s call and his subsequent challenge, Robredo told reporters: “Hindi ko siya papatulan. Dahil hindi naman ito simpleng laban lang naming dalawa. Laban ito ng bayan natin. May mas malaking laban na kailangan nating panalunin.”

(I won’t indulge him. This isn’t just a simple battle between the two of us. This is our nation’s battle. We have a bigger battle that must be won.) 

Robredo pointed out that it was an “extraordinary” election in 2022. While that’s almost true for every presidential race, the 2022 contest has as its voter preference poll leader Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator. 

The country is also at a major crossroads – trying to recover from two years of uncertainty and economic hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Hindi na tayo magsi-spend ng time na makipag-away sa ibang kandidato. Kasi ‘yung laban na ito is more than all of us combined,” Robredo added. 

(I won’t spend time quarreling with other candidates. This battle is bigger than all of us combined.) 

It was also during that controversial Easter Sunday press conference where the three presidential candidates reacted to a statement falsely attributed to Robredo, that chaos would ensue if she lost. It was corrected during the same press conference, with a reporter saying it was Moreno himself who had made the assertion in an interview with a pro-administration blogger. 

“‘Yung focus ko hindi madi-distract ng mga nangyayari. ‘Yung focus ko nasa ano ba ‘yung goal natin. ‘Yung goal natin dito dapat beyond ito sa ating mga kandidato,” said Robredo. 

(I’m focused on not being distracted by what’s happening. I am focused on our goal. And our goal must go beyond the candidates.) 

Robredo, her running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan, and their Senate slate barnstormed Cebu on April 21, their second time in the vote-rich province since the campaign period started. 

The tandem and their slate graced three campaign rallies in Northern Cebu – in Bantayan Island, Bogo City, and Danao City – before headlining a grand rally in Mandaue City. – Rappler.com